Swinging gate



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. WEST. 8

SWINGING GATE.

Patented Jan. 10, 1888.

MWHIIIBIII 1 .1 Owen We??? WITNESS-Es IJV'VEJV'TOR Attorney (No Model.)

2 Shgets-S-heet 2, 0'. WEST.

SWINGING GATE.

Patented Jan. 10

WITNESSES an open position. Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation, partially 'UNiTEI) STATES PATENT O FICE.

OWEN WEST, OF LYN CHBURQ OHIO.

SWINGING GATE.

SPECIPICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,358, dated January 10, 185 8.

Application filed September 15, 1887. Serial No. 249,823. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OWEN WEST, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swinging Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in swinging gates; and it consists more especially in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, andspecifically pointedout in the claims, whereby I provide means for opening thegate from the side of approach, so that it will swing away or open in the opposite direction.

My invention also embodies means for releasing the latch which holds the gateopen.

In the accompanying'drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of'a gate constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being shown held in Fig. 2 is a top view, and

broken away, ofthe gate, showing the construction of the latch and the arrangement of its parts.

A refers to the supporting-post, which is planted solidly in the ground, and is provided with a sunken sill-piece, a, which will prevent the posts sagging and serve to hold it more securely in position. The upper portion of the post A, on its rear side, near its upper end,

has rigidly attached thereto a cross-piece, B, the ends of which arebifurcated for the reception of pulley-wheels b.

To the base of the post Ais attached a bearing-plate, G, which is perforated, so that a pin attached to the end bar, D, of the gate can pass through said perforation and turn therein. The upper end of the bar D of the gate is also provided with an upwardly-projecting pin, d, which moves within a loop, E, said loop hav-' ing a central outwardly-projecting portion, 0, and laterally-extending curved sides 6. The outer end of this loop E is formed into an eye, as shown, while the ends enter the post A and are rigidly secured thereto.

From the forwardly-projecting portion of the loop E', adjacent to the eye formed in said loop, extends upwardly a curved brace-bar,f, which will hold the loop E rigidly in position. To the eye formed in loop E is attached a link or hook, g, which engages with the upper-end ofa stirrup, G, which is pivotally' attached to the gate.

By providing the post D of the gate with a movable support or bearing at its-lower end, upon which the post can rock, and at its upper end with a pin, which bears upon the inner side of the loop E, and a stirrup,'the gate will always have a tendency to remain in a closed position or across the roadway, and when the same is opened the front end will be elevated or inclined and the pin at the upper end of the post will follow the curved bar E.

The gate H consists of the usual vertical battens, diagonal braces, and horizontal boards, which are all rigidly secured to each other and suitably attached to the bar D.

The outer end of the gate carries a pivoted latch-bar, I, which is provided near its lower portion with aspring,i, which hasa tendency to throw thelower end ofsaidlatch-baroutwardly, and at a suitable point the front edge of this latch-bar Iis cut away, as shown am. The outward and inward movement of the latch-bar I is limited by suitable stops or pins, against which the lower end, which is slightly cut away, abuts. The upper portion of the latchbar may extend upward above its pivot, and also above the top of the gate, so'as to provide a handle for operating the latch. The latch I is also operated and the gate swung open by means of cords h h,which are attached to the latch I and pass therefrom parallelwith the boards of the gate to a pair of the vertical battens thereof, between which is placed a pulley, Z. The cords are then led from this pulley l to a pulley, m, in the'top rail of the gate a slight distance fromthe bar D. From thence they pass over the pulleys b in the cross-bar B, from which they are led to arms ICO which are secured to posts J J, said arms carrying suitable pulleys.

The inner sides or edges of the posts J J have recesses N,over which are secured springplates M M, the lower ends of which are bent so as to be inclined, so that the spring-latch of the gate will swing over the front edges so as to depress the spring-plates, so that the latch will engage with the rear edges thereof. To the inner fiat sides of the springs M are attached cords, which pass over pulleys 0 and are attached to crank-bars P, which are secured to sills adjacent to the postsJ J.

The sills to which the crank-bars are pivoted have upwardly-projecting bails p, which guide the cords in an upward direction, so as to hold the crank-bars normally raised.

The post A is provided with a notched catclnwith which the latch engages, said catch having a vertical strip, q, secured over the same, with which the latch will engage.

The operation of my invention is'as follows: When it is desired to open the gate from a carriage or wagon, the weighted ends of one of the cords h is grasped and pulled upon,which will move the springbar I out of engagement with the catch therefor, and will at the same time move the gate and its bar D so as to incline the bar slightly, so that the upper end thereofwill lean toward the post J, which supports the cord drawn upon, and further drawing upon said cord the outer end of the gate will swing outward, the stud (Z on the upper end of the post D traveling in theloop c, and the stirrup and link 9 will aid in sustai ning the gate in its temporary tilted position, so that the latch will engage with the spring-plates M and hold the gate in an open position. The wheel of the vehicle, after passing through the gate, will strike the bent bar P and depress the same, so as to draw upon the cord, which will release the gate and allow it to swing by gravity to a closed position.

I claim- 1. In a gate, the combination of a supporting'post having a guide-rod, E, for the upper end of the gate-post, formed with curved lateral extensions 0', with which the head of the gate-post engages, and a central outwardlyprojecting portion, e, forming a loop for the reception of one end of a link, 9, the supporting-bracef, secured to the post and guide-rod at its ends, the stirrup G, attached to the gate and to the opposite end of the link 9, and an outwardly-projecting perforated plate, 0, upon which the lower end of the gate-post pivotally rests, substantially as described.

2. In combination with thegate constructed as shown and as described, the posts J J, formed with lower recesses, O, and apertures N, the spring plates M, having lower bent ends mounted on the posts J adjacent to the recesses O and apertures N, and cords passing through apertures N, attached to said springplatcs M at one end and t3 crank-rods P at the opposite end, and the bails or loopsp, sub stantially as specified.

3. In combination with the gate constructed and hung as shown and described, whereby the outer end of the gate is elevated when opened, a pivoted bar, I, having a spring for throwing the lower end of the same outwardly from the gate, cords hi1, which pass over guidepulleys Z, m, and b. said cords depending from pulleys attached to posts on each side of the gate, and spring-plates M, for holding the gate open, the parts being organized substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OW EN WEST.

Vitnesses:

I. HoLMEs, JOHN Itoans. 

